Remote control relay



'4 y 1944- w. F. WOODIN 2,348,432

REMOTE CONTROL RELAY Filed March 23, 1942 l8 lf ,4 38 a 2 INVENTOR.

BY W F Wnunm Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE REMOTE CONTROL RELAY Walter F. Woodin, Rolfe, Iowa Application March 23, 1942, Serial No. 435,882

Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a remote control relay which may be placed in a circuit for the elimination of complicated wiring in remote control insulations.

A further object of my invention is to provide a remote control relay which automatically aotuates a switch when a momentary contact is established through a relay coil, or the like, but which does not consume any current except for this momentary actuation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a remote control relay switch for electrical devices that is economical in manufacture, and durable and eflicient in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contempletad are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my relay switch assembly.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the automatic switch contacting elements, shown with the front plate of the relay assembly removed.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of my device.

Heretofore, it has been necessary, when using remotely situated light, motors and the like, to use complicated three-way switches when controlling these lights from more than one point. Also, it has been necessary to run four wires from the electrical apparatus to the switching point. This made this type of installation costly. One of the uses for remote controlled switches is on the farm, where it is desirable to have yard lights which may be controlled from various buildings. Such installations have heretofore required such costly and elaborate switching and wiring arrangements as to make them beyond reach of the parties needing the same. Furthermore, it has been difficult, when using these switches to comply with the various electrical codes, which requires that the positive side of the circuit be dead when the circuit is turned off. Relays provided for such installations make it necessary that electric current pass through the relay at all times that the circuit is closed, thus consuming additional electrical energy and making it necessary to repair the relay at frequent intervals. I have overcome such disadvantages as will be appreciated and as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral H) to designate a base member to which is secured a core ll having an electro-magnetic coil 12 wound thereon. The numeral l3 indicates a magnetic armature bar or actuating arm pivotally secured to the core I i and capable of being actauted when the coil i2 is energized. The numeral I4 indicates a pin on the forward end of the armature i3, whose function will hereinaiter be described. The numeral it indicates a plate adjacent the forward end of the core I I as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral I6 indicates a second plate, spaced apart from the plate l5 and secured to the base member iii. The numerals I! and i8 indicate vertical slots cut through the plates l5 and I6, respectively, in which the pin 14 of the bar l3 rides. I have used the numeral H! to indicate a ratchet member having a plurality of deeply cut teeth 26 and alternate shallow teeth 2| as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 22 indicates a ratchet pawl pivotally secured to the plate 15 and having an engaging lug 23 formed thereon for preventing counter rotation of the ratchet member I9. It will be noted that I have extended the bulk of this pawl outwardly from the pivot point so that its inherent weight will actuate it thereby elimihating any springs in the ratchet structure of the device. The numeral 24 indicates a switch bridge arm having a contact plate 25 thereon and insulated therefrom and also having an engaging lug 26 and horizontally extending arm 21 which is pivotally mounted on the pin it which extends therethrough for actuating and holding the switch arm 24. The numeral 28 indicates a spring tension member for yieldingly holding the upper arm 21 of the bridge member in a substantially horizontal position thus holding the lug 26 against the shoulders of the ratchet It.

The practical operation of my device is as follows: The switch 33 is depressed energizing the coil [2 and actuating the bar I3. The pin 14 pushes downwardly on the arm 24, which is pivotally mounted thereon so that the lug 26 engages one of the teeth 29. The spring 28 returns the arm 24 to an upward position and the arm is in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. When in this position the plate 25 is not in contact with the fingers 29 and 3B. The next time the switch 33 is pushed the same action will take place except that the lug 26 will engage the shallow teeth 2|, thus holding the arm 24 in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and permitting the plate 25 to bridge the contact fingers 29 and 30 for completing the electric circuit to the lamp or like, 34. Thus, the first time the switch 34 is depressed and the armature I3 is actuated through a complete cycle, the arm 24 is in a position so that the plate 25 is spaced apart from the contact fingers 29 and 30. During the next cycle of operation of the armature I3, the lug 28 has engaged one of the shallow tooth portions and the plate 25 establishes contact between the fingers 29 and 30, completing the electric circuit. The ratchet pawl prevents the counter rotation of the ratchet I9 during these operations and the spring 28 yieldingly holds the arm 24 in its raised or normal position.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a remote control relay switch which fulfills all of my objects and presents many more obvious advantages.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved remote control switch without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a remote control relay device, a base member, an electro-magnet mounted on said base member, a bar element pivotally mounted on said base member and capable of being actuated by said electro-magnet, two spaced apart plate members adjacent the end of said bar element, a pin on the end of said bar element, a contact arm mounted on said pin and actuated thereby, a contact plate on said contact arm, a lug element on said arm, a ratchet element rotatably mounted on said plates and having alternate deep and shallow teeth thereon capable of being contacted by said lug on said arm, a ratchet pawl for preventing counter rotation of said ratchet, a yielding means of holding said arm in its raised position, and contact fingers mounted on said base member adjacent said contact plate and capable of being contacted by said contact plate when said lug on said arm is engaging the shallow teeth on said ratchet.

2. In a device class described, a base member, an electro-magnet on said base member, a bar element pivotally secured adjacent said electromagnet and capable of being actuated thereby, an engaging means formed on the forward end of said bar member, a plate element, a ratchet member rotatably mounted on said plate element; said ratchet element having alternate deep and shallow tooth members thereon, a contact arm operatively mounted on said engaging means and having a lug thereon for engaging the teeth on said ratchet element, a contact plate on said arm, a plurality of contact fingers adjacent said contact plate and secured to said base member; said arm member being actuated by said bar when said electro-magnet is energized for engaging one of said teeth in said ratchet for causing said contact plate to bridge said contact fingers when said lug is in engagement with said shallow teeth and for causing said contact plate to be out of engagement with said contact fingers when said lug is in engagement with one of said deep teeth of said ratchet.

3. In a device as the class described, a base member, two contact fingers on said base members, a plate element, an arm operatively mounted on said plate element, an electro-magnet, a armature bar member on said electro-magnet, an engaging means on said bar member for operatively engaging said arm, and a ratchet member adjacent said arm and contacted thereby for reciprocating said arm and causing it to bridge said two contact fingers on alternate actuations of said arm.

4. In a remote control relay device, a base member, an electro-magnet mounted on said base member, a bar element pivotally mounted on said base member and capable of being actuated by said electro-magnet, a contact arm operatively secured to said bar element, a ratchet element rotatably mounted adjacent said arm and having alternate shallow and deep teeth thereon; said ratchet being operatd by said arm for causing said arm to swing outwardly when in contact with said shallow teeth and inwardly when in contact with said deep teeth, contact fingers on said base member, a contact plate on said arm capable of bridging said contact fingers on alternate reciprocations of said arm, and a yielding means for holding said arm against said ratchet element.

5. In a device of the class described, an electromagnet having a pivoted bar thereon actuated by said electro-magnet, a reciprocating arm operatively mounted on said bar, a contact plate on said arm, a ratchet element mounted adjacent said arm for moving said arm outwardly on alternate reciprocations of said bar element, contact fingers adjacent said contact plate on said arm and capable of being contacted by said contact plate on alternate reciprocations of said bar, and a means for yieldingly holding said arm adjacent said ratchet member.

WALTER F. WOODIN. 

